The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Lighted vehicle accessory components are becoming increasingly popular with manufacturers of passenger cars and trucks. Such accessory components typically include lighted step rails used on minivans, vans, pickup trucks, SUVs and crossovers, as well other types of vehicles. Such lighting is often used to temporarily illuminate certain areas adjacent to the vehicle, for example the ground near the rocker panels of a passenger car, truck, SUV or van, to aid the vehicle operator in entering or exiting the vehicle, or to make the vehicle itself more visually conspicuous to other motorists during use of the vehicle. A popular present day use for such lighting is in connection with step rails used on passenger cars, trucks, SUVs, minivans, full size vans, and crossovers.
When incorporating lights into an external component of an accessory component of a motor vehicle, the complexity of assembly, cost and reliability become important considerations. Lights used on motor vehicle accessory components are exposed to the elements and therefore must be able to function reliably in conditions involving rain, snow and mud, as well as extreme hot and cold temperatures. This poses a challenge for designers to construct the accessory component so that the lighting elements and associated electrical wiring used to provide power to the lighting elements is integrated in such a way as to be protected from the elements.
Typically, present day lighting systems involve individual lights that are mounted to, or partially within, the accessory component. Such construction, while possibly providing adequate protection against the elements, can significantly complicate the assembly of the accessory component and/or its attachment to the vehicle during assembly of the vehicle. Attaching lights one by one, along with a wiring harness, to the accessory component such as by adhesives, mechanical fasteners or other means also requires a certain degree of skill, care and experience by the individual performing the installation. Such types of assembly can be challenging to perform when the installation of individual lighting components and associated electrical wiring needs to be done on a traditional vehicle assembly line. Individual lights that are not properly lined up with associated holes or openings in the accessory component during assembly can present areas where excessive water can enter an interior area of the accessory component and potentially compromise the operation of the lighting system. The requirement to have individual lights and associated wiring installed on the accessory component can also add to the overall cost of manufacture of the accessory component and/or the costs associated with installing it on a vehicle.